Ludo Online Free

Play Ludo online for free, the classic race game the whole family knows. Roll the die, bring your tokens out of the yard with a 6, race them around the cross-shaped board and get all four into the center before anyone else. Land on a rival token to send it back to the start. Play with 2, 3 or 4 players and choose for every color whether a person or the computer plays it.

How to play

1. Roll a 6 to bring a token out of your yard onto your start square.
2. Move a token clockwise by the number rolled. A 6, a capture or a token reaching home gives an extra roll, but three 6s in a row lose the turn.
3. Land on an opponent’s token to send it back to its yard. Tokens on start squares and star squares are safe.
4. After a full lap, tokens turn into your colored home column and need an exact roll to reach the center.
5. The first player with all four tokens home wins.

Controls

• Tap or click the die to roll. On a computer you can also press Space or Enter.
• Tokens that can move glow and bounce. Tap one to move it, or press 1 to 4 to pick a token. If only one move is possible, it is played for you.
• Use the 2, 3, 4 buttons to choose the number of players and tap a colored seat to switch it between a person and the computer.

Tips and strategy

• Bring a new token out whenever you roll a 6 early in the game. More tokens on the board means more choices later.
• Stars and colored start squares are safe. Park a token there when an opponent is close behind it.
• A token one to six squares in front of an enemy token is in danger. Move it away or past the threat if you can.
• Capturing is worth a lot: the rival token goes back to its yard and you get an extra roll.
• Once a token is in your colored home column nobody can capture it, so getting there is often more urgent than racing the leader.
• Near the end you need the exact number to reach the center, so keep a second token moving to avoid wasted rolls.

Game modes and difficulty

Play with 2, 3 or 4 colors. By default you are red against three computer players, but every seat can be switched between a person and the computer, so you can pass one device around with friends or watch the computers play. The computer likes captures, safe squares and getting tokens home, and avoids danger. When a person wins, the number of turns is saved, so you can try to win in fewer turns.

History and background

Ludo comes from pachisi, a very old Indian cross-and-circle game played with cowrie shells. Mughal emperors are said to have played it on giant courtyard boards using people as pieces.

In the late 19th century a simplified version with a cube die and a square board was patented in England under the name Ludo, Latin for "I play". Similar family versions spread across the world and are still loved today.

Frequently asked questions